Rory McIlroy’s going to find it hard to heal the scars of a final round 80 that dashed all hopes of Masters winning glory.
If you thought his second round similar score at last year’s British Open was a hard pill to swallow, then McIlroy’s could take months before he digests a second eight-over par in three Majors.
Rory McIlroy - Close to the Butler Cabin but for all the wrong reasons. (Pic - Courtesy PGA Tour
Instead of his ISM manager, ‘Chubby’ Chandler embracing the young Holywood golfer, it was South African Charl Schwartzel, and fellow ISM stablemate Chandler threw his tree branch like arms around at the back of 18.
Schwartzel birdied his closing four holes in a score of 66 to win by two strokes with a 14-under par tally.
In one of the most remarkable final rounds at the Masters for some time, and on the event’s 75th anniversary, some seven different players shared the lead at one point on the last day.
McIlroy had simply nowhere to hide around the Augusta golfing gem managing just one bogey but also four bogeys, a double bogey and a bizarre triple bogey.
The 21-year old, looking to become the fifth Irish-born winner of a Major, was simply out of his depth over the final round of the year’s first Major.
After dropping two clumsy shots early, the tell-tale signs of a likely McIlroy train wreck shocked the crowd when he put his tee shot at the 10th so far left that one spectator commented: “That’s so far left, it’s off the map”.
In fact, McIlroy’s ball had ricocheted off a tree and coming rest even further left and slap bang in the middle of the Peek and Berckman Cabin’s.
McIlroy chipped out to the right side of the fairway but then left his third short, and also with trees between him and the green.
Again, McIlroy’s ball cannoned off a tree and this time to the back left of the green from where he chipped and putted for a triple bogey seven.
So from leading the Masters by one shot at 11-under par standing on the 10th tee, McIlroy crashed to a share of seventh.
It just emphasised the old saying: “The Masters doesn’t begin till the back nine on Sunday.”
But the back nine at Augusta turned to a nightmare ride for McIlroy.
McIlroy had a birdie putt on the 10th and after that slipped by CBS Sports went to a commercial break declaring ‘McIlroy got his par at 11’.
But to the shock of all looking on, including GUI President, Eugene Sweeney, McIlroy missed his par putt to take bogey.
More heartache followed when McIlroy found the green at the 12th, but four-whacked the ball a double.
From 11-under par and leading by one after nine holes, McIlroy had dropped seven shots in three holes.
McIlroy then put his drive down the left of the par five, 13th but then looked on in despair as the ball rolled into Rae’s Creek.
The sight of McIlroy resting on his driver but with his head buried in his hands summed it up.
But there was yet another scar Augusta inflicted on McIlroy and that was in taking a bogey at the 15th before he ended with three closing pars.
Schwartzel had already commenced his victory celebrating as McIlroy dragged his young but terribly bruised body up the 72nd fairway.
For a player who enjoye the limelight for three rounds, it must have been the loneliest hole McIlroy has ever played in his short professional career.
From first place to a humbling share of 15th place at four under par.
“It’s probably the most disappointing day of my career but hopefully I’ll learn from it and come back a little stronger,” he said.
“It was my first experience of being in the lead going into the last day of a Major and I felt as if I did okay on the front nine and I was still one shot ahead going into the tenth and then things went all pear-shaped after that.
“It’s all part of the learning curve and I can’t put it down to anything else.
“Hopefully if I can get myself back into this position pretty soon I will hopefully handle it a little bit better.”
Strangely, McIlroy will travel together to this week’s Maybank Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.
However, McIlroy admits it’s going to be tough for the foreseeable future getting over his Augusta anguish.
“It will be pretty tough for me for the next few days but I will get over it, and I will be fine,” he said.
“There are a lot worse things that can happen in your life.
“Shooting a bad score in the last round of a golf tournament is nothing in comparison to what other people go through.
“But in conclusion let me say ‘thanks’ to everyone back home for their support and the support out there for me today was incredible.
“Getting applauded up onto the greens, I was almost a little embarrassed at some points. But the support I had for everyone was fantastic and I really appreciate it.”
Bernie McGuire at Augusta National.
